Objectives of the this article are as follows:
A. To prevent excessive road deterioration and decrease
accidents due to overweight and/or oversized vehicles.
B. To ensure that hazardous materials carried on public
highways are safely and legally transported.
C. To ensure that commercial vehicles operating on public
highways are safely and legally operated.
Scales shall be repaired as follows:
A. Immediately remove from service any malfunctioning or
inoperable scales.
B. Notify the supervisor of the scales program of such malfunction.
C. When forwarding scales for repair, both scales of a pair
must be sent.
D. Attach a letter describing, in detail, what the problem
is or appears to be.
The procedure for weighing shall be as follows:
A. Location.
(1) Select a straight, level roadway with a good sight distance,
when possible.
(2) When possible, select a roadway with wide shoulders sufficient
to provide safety and allow off-loading of excess loads.
C. Instructions for weighing.
(1) Instruct the driver how you want him to drive onto the
scales.
(2) Make sure all the wheels are on a level surface.
(3) When using portable-type scales, place the scales against
the tire and make sure the scale has reset itself to zero before the vehicle
drives upon the scales.
(4) Signal the driver to proceed upon the scales slowly in
low gear until the tires reach the correct position on the scales.
(5) Do not stand behind the scales as the truck goes up on
to the scales, as the scales may be kicked out behind the truck.
(6) Tell the driver to release the truck brakes, as the manipulation
of the brakes can cause substantial changes in scale readings.
(7) Read the weight results, and determine the total gross
weight of the vehicle by adding the readings on all axles.
(8) After the readings have been taken, tell the driver to
proceed slowly off the scales.
(9) Arrests for overweight vehicles may be made only by use
of an Agriculture and Markets certified scale, and weigh slip in possession
of a driver from a weigh station.
(10) Issue a uniform traffic ticket for all overweight violations.
(11) Complete a commercial traffic violation information for
taxation and finance.
(12) If a driver refuses to obey your order to pull onto the
scales, arrest the driver for failure to comply.
(13) You may arrange to have a tow truck tow the vehicle onto
the scales.
(14) If a vehicle's tires have been deflated, direct the truck
to a service area to properly reinflate the tires, then weigh the vehicle.
(15) It shall be the policy of the Guilderland Police Department
that 5% is allowed before a ticket shall be issued for overload.